The Way to Discredit Government

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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday ordered that, with no prospect of a new state budget in sight, state workers will be paid only minimum wage.

It's unlikely to happen.

State Controller John Chiang, who signs state checks, has refused to implement previous orders from the governor. There's litigation about whether it can happen. And state workers would be entitled to back pay when a budget is signed.

But if the governor fights to implement his order, the move will discredit government, and here's why.

The state's payroll system -- like so many government payroll systems -- is hopelessly outdated. Chiang has said he can't make quick changes to the paychecks of state workers -- even if he wanted to. If a change were to be implemented, it would be a public relations disaster -- at least as much for the errors that would ensure as for the effect on workers.